2013年7月31日星期三

As Houston midfielder Brad Davis glided across the Sporting Park field prior to Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game, he was surprised to hear the fans ... booing him?

No, not in this case. The faithful were simply showing their appreciation for the guy running with Davis: Sporting Kansas City midfielder Graham Zusi.

“Some of the fans were yelling ‘ZEUS!’” Davis said, “and I was like, ‘What? C’mon man.’”

Zusi had to explain that those weren’t boos. Not that it would have ruined Davis’ night. He had nothing but high praise for the job Sporting did.

“It was fun,” Davis said. “I love coming to this stadium. Obviously, it’s a great stadium, a great organization. They really did a great job treating us well. The stadium and facilities they have here are awesome, so it’s always good to come here.”

Well, it’s not always great for Davis to come to Sporting Park when he’s playing with Houston. The Dynamo has proved to be a thorn in Sporting’s side the last two years, knocking KC from the playoffs twice.

But Wednesday, all the MLS players were the good guys.

That goes for a player who in just a few days will be certain to hear a few boos.

Forward Thierry Henry and the Red Bulls will be playing Sporting Kansas City on Saturday. While Henry’s teammates will arrive Friday, Henry said he would hang out in Kansas City and spend some time with Sporting KC defender Aurelien Collin.

Will they head to Le Fou Frog? Maybe, but Henry said he’s certainly going to get some barbecue.

Then come Saturday, he’ll be the bad guy again.

“The fans know the difference between the All-Star team and when they are supporting the All-Star team,” Henry said. “And when they have to support Sporting KC, they will and that’s the way that it is.”

Henry was impressed with how Kansas City came out for Wednesday’s game and all of the events leading up to the match.

And Henry said that Roma was undoubtedly going to come away with good things to say — as were previous teams that competed in the MLS All-Star Game.

“The reception of the whole city was amazing,” Henry said. “There was a question whether it would better to go back to the East-West format (instead of MLS All-Stars vs. a foreign club).

“For me at the end of the day, they speak about the league (MLS) in Italy, and they speak about the league in England. It can only be good for the league. It’s the right format. We didn’t win today, but we got the right exposure for the league.”

Players, including Landon Donovan, fans and even MLS commissioner Don Garber lauded Kansas City and the soccer celebration it hosted.

Good thing too, because the game turned into a dud — at least from an MLS perspective.

Roma grabbed the lead in the fourth minute, nearly doubled it a few times in the opening 10 minutes and thoroughly outplayed the MLS All-Stars in a 3-1 rout.

Roma is only the second international club in MLS All-Star Game history to defeat the “home side,” which had been 7-2-1 in All-Star action since adopting the MLS vs. The World format in 2003.

Manchester United pounded the MLS squad in 2010 and again in 2011, while another English Premier League side, Everton, managed a draw in 2009 (and prevailed on penalty kicks).

The All-Stars had topped Chivas Guadalajara, Fulham, Celtic, West Ham and Chelsea twice in the other meetings with elite international clubs.

Before a record crowd of 21,175, the largest in Sporting Park history for a soccer match, Roma zapped the energy from the building practically off the opening whistle when Kevin Strootman won a footrace with Sporting Kansas City centerback Aurelien Collin to a through ball from Alessandro Florenzi in the fourth minute.

Collin got a toe on the ball with a sliding challenge in the penalty box before Strootman could strike it, but the ball still ricocheted off the Roma central midfielder’s shin and inside the right post.

Midfielder Miralem Pjanic was credited with a secondary assist on the goal.

Two minutes later, Roma nearly pulled ahead 2-0 when Junior Tallo rocked a shot at FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez, who prevented a goal initially with a diving save but gave up a rebound at the far post.

Florenzi ran onto the loose ball and buried a shot, but the goal was waved off by an offside penalty.

Early in the eighth minute, Florenzi got free again in the right channel, but his right-footed rocket across the face of goal whistled a few feet wide of the far post.

Florenzi found the back of the net again in the 36th minute, but once again the goal was waved off because of an offside call — this one on teammate Federico Balzaretti.

Florenzi’s run of bad luck wouldn’t last through halftime, which arrived with Roma still in front 1-0.

It took less than two minutes into the second half for the Giallorossi to pad its lead.

Off a cross from the left flank by Balzaretti, Floenzi, who was named the game’s MVP, ran onto the ball uncontested in the middle of the MLS All-Stars’ box and hammered Roma’s second goal inside the left post and past Nick Rimando, who took over in goal at halftime.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the 69th minute.

Balzaretti played a through ball for U.S. men’s national team star Michael Bradley atop the MLS penalty box. Bradley immediately sent the ball toward the left edge of the box for Strootman.

Strootman then centered the ball for Tallo, who outmuscled a defender and poked the ball inside the left post.

Omar Gonzalez pulled back a goal for the MLS All-Stars in the 91st minute to prevent a shutout.

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is warning patients with diabetes about a recall of up to 62 million glucose test strips used to measure blood sugar levels that can show incorrect, abnormally high blood sugar readings.

Nova Diabetes Care announced the recall Friday. An incorrect reading could potentially lead to dangerous medication errors for patients.

The strips covered by the recall are marketed under the brand names Nova Max Blood Glucose Test Strips and Nova Max Plus Glucose Meter Kits. The recall affects certain lots of the strips distributed in the U.S., Canada, Chile, Peru, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and a half-dozen other countries. Nova Diabetes Care sells them through retail stores and websites.

The FDA said Wednesday that the strips are contaminated with a chemical used in the manufacturing process, which interferes with readings. FDA regulators are working with the company to investigate the problem and make sure it is corrected.

Patients can visit a company website to check if their glucose test strips are affected by the recall: www.novacares.com/news/nova-max-recall.php . They can also call a company hotline at 1-800-681-7390. Customers can return the strips and receive replacements at no charge.

Doctors and patients should pay attention for signs and symptoms of high or low blood sugar levels, including excessive thirst, nausea, weakness, headaches and trembling.

"It is important that patients using these test strips discontinue their use immediately," said Alberto Gutierrez, director of FDA's office of in vitro diagnostics. "A false reading could result in patient harm and delay critical care."

Players, including Landon Donovan, fans and even MLS Commissioner Don Garber lauded Kansas City and the soccer celebration is hosted.

Good thing too, because the game turned into a dud — at least from an MLS perspective.

Roma grabbed the lead in the fourth minute, nearly doubled it a few times in the opening 10 minutes and thoroughly outplayed the MLS All-Stars in a 3-1 rout.

Roma is only the second international club in MLS All-Star Game history to defeat the “home side,” which had been 7-2-1 in All-Star action since adopting the MLS vs. The World format in 2003.

Manchester United pounded the MLS squad in 2010 and again in 2011, while another English Premier League side, Everton, managed a draw in 2009 (and prevailed on penalty kicks).

The MLS had topped Chivas Guadalajara, Fulham, Celtic, West Ham and Chelsea twice during the other meetings with elite international clubs.

Before a record crowd of 21,175, the largest in Sporting Park history for a soccer match, Roma zapped the energy from the building practically off the opening whistle when Kevin Strootman won a footrace with Sporting Kansas City centerback Aurelien Collin to a through ball from Alessandro Florenzi in the fourth minute.

Collin got a toe on the ball with a sliding challenge in the penalty box before Strootman could strike it, but the ball still ricocheted off the Roma central midfielder’s shin and inside the right post.

Midfielder Miralem Pjanic was credited with a secondary assist on the goal.

Two minutes later, Roma nearly pulled ahead 2-0 when Junior Tallo rocked a shot at FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez, who prevented a goal initially with a diving save but gave up a rebound at the far post.

Florenzi ran onto the loose ball and buried a shot, but the goal was waved up by an offside penalty.

Early in the eighth minute, Florenzi got free again in the right channel, but his right-footed rocket across the face of goal whistled a few feet wide of the far post.

Florenzi found the back of the net again in the 36th minute, but again the goal was waved off because an offside call — this one on teammate Federico Balzaretti.

Florenzi’s run of bad luck wouldn’t last through halftime, which arrived with Roma still in front 1-0.

It took less than two minutes into the second half for the Giallorossi to pad its lead.

Off a cross from the left flank by Balzaretti, Floenzi, who was named the game’s MVP, ran onto the ball uncontested in the middle of the MLS All-Stars’ box and hammered Roma’s second goal inside the left post and past Nick Rimando, who took over in goal at halftime.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the 69th minute.

Balzaretti played a through ball for U.S. men’s national team star Michael Bradley atop the MLS penalty box. Bradley immediately sent the ball toward the left edge of the box for Strootman.

Strootman then centered the ball for Tallo, who outmuscled a defender and poked the ball inside the left post.

Omar Gonzalez pulled back a goal for the MLS All-Stars in the 91st minute to prevent a shutout.

ANDY KING | AP Kansas City Royals' Eric Hosmer, left, celebrates after hitting a double as Minnesota Twins second baseman Jamey Carroll walks by in the third inning of a baseball game in Minneapolis, Wednesday, July 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

Aaron Crow bailed out Kelvin Herrera from a mess in the eighth inning Wednesday night and enabled the Royals to stretch their winning streak to eight games when they held on for a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

No, it wasn’t easy.

The Royals built a 2-0 lead for Jeremy Guthrie with single runs in the second and third innings before breaking a 2-2 by scoring two unearned runs in the seventh inning.

Then it was a matter of holding on.

Greg Holland weathered a threat in the ninth inning when Joe Mauer reached second on a one-out infield single and a throwing error by shortstop Alcides Escobar that went into the Minnesota dugout.

Escobar made a diving stop and probably should have just held the ball.

Holland struck out Justin Morneau and Ryan Doumit for his 21st straight successful save and his 28th overall in 30 opportunities.

All of that came after a a high-stress eighth inning when Herrera struggled after inheriting a two-run lead.

Guthrie, 11-7, got the victory after yielding two runs in six innings. Caleb Thielbar, 1-1, was the loser after yielding those two unearned runs in the seventh.

The eight straight victories boosted the Royals to 53-51 and marked their longest winning streak since opening the 2003 season by winning nine in a row.

Herrera replaced Tim Collins to start the eighth and immediately gave up successive doubles to Doumit and Trevor Plouffe. Both were line-drive rockets into the left-center gap.

Herrera struck out Chris Herrmann before Aaron Hicks’ squibber up the first-base line stayed fair and resulted in a sing;e that moved Plouffe to third.

Chris Colabello batted for Pedro Florimon, which prompted a countermove by the Royals to replace Herrera with Crow.

Colabello struck out on a check swing but Hicks stole second on the full-count pitch. Crow then preserved the lead by striking out Clete Thomas.

Guthrie carried a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning but found trouble when the Twins loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Mauer, Morneau and Doumit.

Plouffe soft hopper to third resulted in a force at home, but Herrmann drew a four-pitch walk that forced in the tying run.

But Guthrie stopped it there. Hicks popped to second, and Florimon, who had homered in the fifth, struck out.

That run enabled Minnesota starter Kevin Correia to exit with a no-decision. He gave up 10 hits, but just two runs, in six innings.

Thielbar started the seventh and yielded a two-out triple to Alex Gordon, which turned into the go-ahead run when Florimon couldn’t handle Eric Hosmer’s soft grounder up the middle.

Casey Fien replaced Thielbar and, after Hosmer stole second, lost a 10-pitch battle to Billy Butler, who drove an RBI single up the middle for a 4-2 lead.

That proved to be enough. Barely.

The Twins mounted a one-out threat against Guthrie in the first inning without putting the ball in play. Jamey Carroll was hit by a pitch and stole second before Mauer walked.

Guthrie escaped when Morneau popped to short, and Doumit struck out.

The Royals then opened the scoring in the second when David Lough sprinted his way to a one-out double to center -- and then got a great read on a Miguel Tejada liner just over a leaping Carroll at second for a 1-0 lead.

Mike Moustakas flicked a single into left that moved Tejada to third, but the Royals settled for one run when Escobar’s hopper back to the mound resulted in an out at home.

Guthrie worked around a one-out single in the second but closed the inning at 47 pitches.

The Royals stretched their lead to 2-0 in the third but, again, had a chance for more. Gordon led off with single and went to third on Hosmer’s double over Thomas’ head in left.

Butler sent a drive to right that scored Gordon, but Herrmann threw a laser to third that nailed Hosmer for a double play. Herrmann’s throw was reminiscent of Jeff Francoeur at his best.

Thomas opened the Twins third with a double to right that Lough appeared to misread -- although it’s not clear whether he could have made the catch anyway. Didn’t matter. Guthrie retired the next three hitters.

The Royals put runners at first and second with one out in the fifth on singles by Jarrod Dyson and Hosmer, but Butler grounded into a double play.

Catcher Salvy Perez opened the Twins fifth by making a spectacular play on what appeared to be a perfect bunt by Hicks. That play looked even bigger when Florimon followed with a homer to right.

But there was Sporting midfielder Graham Zusi being subbed out in the 24th minute of Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game at Sporting Park. The initial diagnosis was a right quad strain, and he is questionable for Sporting’s game Saturday against the Red Bulls.

Just before the substitution, Zusi chatted with MLS coach Peter Vermes, his Sporting coach, and Vancouver’s Camilo Sanvezzo sprang to his feet from the bench and started warming up.

It wasn’t long before the substitution was made, and it marked the second year in a row a Sporting player had to leave the MLS All-Star Game early.

At last year’s game, defender Aurelien Collin suffered facial fractures after a collision with Chelsea’s Michael Essien. Collin missed two Sporting games as a result of that run-in.

No such problems this year for Collin, although he did collide with Roma goalie Morgan De Sanctis late in the first half while trying to get a head on a cross.

Just a few minutes earlier, Collin was in attack mode when Roma gained control and started a counterattack. Collin charged down the field and eventually broke up the attack some 60 yards from where he had been.

However, Collin also was in an unfortunate position less than five minutes into the game. He was chasing Kevin Strootman as the Roma midfielder bore down on the goal. Collin made a late attempt to tackle the ball, but Strootman wasn’t stopped and scored the game’s first goal.

And, oh by the way, defender Matt Besler had the honor of joining Collin and Zusi as starters in the MLS All-Star Game. Not bad for a kid who grew up in Johnson County and graduated from Blue Valley West High School.

Struggling pensioners are selling their homes and moving to rented accommodation to pay off debts.

Two-fifths of retirees who rent once owned a home. Financial concerns – such as the cost of divorce or separation – were given as the main reason for stepping off the property ladder.

Many of them have been forced to sell up to pay off debts or boost their income, the Prudential said.

Crisis: Many pensioners are being forced to sell their homes and move to rented accommodation to pay debts

Financial concerns were given as the main motivation for stepping off the property ladder for the 42 per cent of renting retirees who used to own their own home.

The study found that around one quarter (25 per cent) of retirees rent their home and nearly three quarters of them (73 per cent) plan to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

The most common reasons for former home owners to have sold their property to move into the rental sector was that they had debts to pay or needed to cover the cost of a divorce or separation.

One in 11 (9 per cent) former property owners said they had sold their home to boost their retirement income.

The findings come at a time when rents have soared following strong demand in the sector.

Research by the Prudential building society found that retired renters pay £423 a month in rent typically, compared with £257 a month on average for retirees who still have mortgages

Prudential found that retired renters pay £423 a month in rent typically, compared with £257 a month on average for retirees who still have mortgages.

Prudential previously found that people retiring this year expect to have an income of around £15,300 a year, meaning average rental costs would take up around one third of this sum at just over £5,000.

Fears have recently been raised for people in the later stages of their working lives who are sitting on an interest-only mortgage 'time bomb'.

They may be forced to sell their homes if they do not have a proper plan in place to pay their loans back once the deal comes to an end.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) recently sounded a 'wake up call' to borrowers and told them they must be prepared to communicate with lenders to work out what steps to take.

Up to 1.3 million interest-only customers do not have enough cash to pay their loans back.

Almost one in six (15 per cent) of retired renters choose not to own their home as a lifestyle choice, while 35 per cent could not afford to raise a deposit, the Prudential research found.

Stan Russell, senior pensions business development manager at Prudential, said: 'Renting in retirement can make financial sense and accessing property wealth to boost retirement income is a genuine solution for many. Our research shows that many retired renters are perfectly happy with this arrangement.

'However, retirees should be aware of the extra financial burden they could be taking on if they choose to sell up and rent.

'The fact that some retirees say they are being forced to sell up purely by the need to pay off debts is concerning and suggests they are not receiving professional advice.

Organisations like the Money Advice Service and Citizens Advice offer free advice and can help enormously.'

Around 740 people who are retired took part in the research across the UK.

But there was Sporting midfielder Graham Zusi being subbed out in the 24th minute of Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game at Sporting Park. The initial diagnosis was a right quad strain and he is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Red Bulls.

Just before the substitution, Zusi chatted with MLS coach Peter Vermes, his Sporting coach, and Vancouver’s Camilo Sanvezzo sprung to his feet and started warming up.

It wasn’t long before the substitution was made, and it marked the second year in a row a Sporting player had to leave early.

At last year’s All-Star Game, Aurelien Collin suffered facial fractures after a collision with Chelsea’s Michael Essien. Collin missed two games as a result of that run-in.

It was a serious blow for Mr Hunt because the case involved the first legal test of a Government procedure for dealing with failing NHS organisations – known as the Unsustainable Providers Regime.

Under the regime, Mr Hunt had appointed a Trust Special Administrator to the South London Healthcare Trust.

Among the administrator’s recommendations were cuts at Lewisham Hospital.

Mr Hunt assured MPs the changes would improve patient care in south London, saving up to 100 lives a year, but gave an undertaking not to implement them pending today’s legal challenge.

But Mr Justice Silber said the TSA and Mr Hunt had no power to recommend cuts at a hospital which was not in the area of the failing trust.

Mr Hunt had appointed a Trust Special Administrator to the South London Healthcare Trust. Among the administrator's recommendations were cuts at Lewisham Hospital

Because of the implications of his judgment, the judge gave Mr Hunt permission to appeal.

The Department of Health said it was disappointed with the decision.

A spokesman added: ‘This judgment applies to one aspect of a package of changes which we believe are in the best long-term interests of patients.’

Paramedics are refusing to go to hundreds of homes across the country without police back-up. Ambulance services have ‘blacklisted’ certain households and crews are told to wait outside in case they are attacked.